Gina Haspel took oath on Monday as the director of Central Intelligence Agency CIA. Now, she has become the first-ever woman to take charge of the Intelligence Agency in the CIA’s 71 year history. President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and External Affairs Minister Mike Pompeo were also present at the swearing-in at the CIA headquarters located in Virginia.
The 61 -year-old Haspel the most senior female operations officer to ever serve at the Central Intelligence Agency who joined CIA in 1985 and she also previously served as deputy director and acting director of the CIA under President Barack Obama.
Haspel is the first woman to lead the nation’s top intelligence agency and she elected by President Trump.
President Trump praised Gina and said, her three-decade long career has been incomparable. She is strong, and will never compromise with America’s security. On this occasion, Gina said, it is a matter of pride for me to conduct the CIA.
From 2003 to 2005, Haspel oversaw the top-secret CIA program where dozens of suspected terrorists were deprived of sleep, stuffed into coffins and had water forced down their throats,
“I stand on the shoulders of heroines who never sought public acclaim, but served as inspirations to the generations that came after them,” Haspel said after being sworn in by Vice President Mike Pence and introduced by President Donald Trump.
“I would not be standing before you today if not for the remarkable courage and dedication displayed by generations of women officers,” she said at CIA headquarters in Virginia.
In roles both large and small, Haspel said they “challenged stereotypes, broke down barriers and opened doors for the rest of us.”
She joked about her bruising confirmation hearing, which dug into her work overseeing a secret “black site” prison in Thailand.
